Gate-operating mechanism for elevators



l ,574,68 c. NQRTON Erm.

GATE OPERATING MECHANISM FOR ELEVATORS w- LLL.

/05 I Im/H52,

Fm 2s 1926. 1,574,681

' C. NORTON ET AL' GATE OPERATING MECHANISM FOR ELEVATORS Filed April 30, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 gnou/wou,

Feb. 23 1926'.

C. NORTON ET AL GATE OPERATING MECHAN'ISM FOR ELEVATORS 4 sheets-sheet 5 Filed April 3Q, 1921 Feb. 23,1926.

C. NORTON ET AL GATE OPERATING MECHANISM FOR ELEVATORS Filed April 5o, 1921 4 ,sheets-Sheet 4 l QQ VNS A @M50/*whom l WIJK? #wauw 134 www@ r Fries.

I `CLIFFORD NORTIQ', 0F ORANGE, IQ'EVILLE S. DCKNSON, OF .GLEN RIDGE, AND

RUMSEY Wi SCTT, OF MONTCLAIR, NIEWV JERSEY, SSGNQBS T0 ELEVATB SUI- PLES'COMPANY, INC, 0F HOBKEN,

Jansma. y

earn-ernannten MECHANISM non nrinva'rons.

Appication led Apri1-30,1921. Serial No. 405,908.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, Giannone Nonrom NEVILLE S. Drcirrn'soir, and Reiterer.Vi/`

Soo'r'r, citizens of thc United States, resid 5 ing, respectively, at Orange, New Jersey, Glen iRldge, New' Jersey, and .Montclair, .New Jersey, have invented certainv new and useful Improvements in Gate-Operating. f Mechanism for Elevators, of which the {fol-- l0 lowing is a clear, full, and exact description.'

Our inventionI relates to gate `operating mechanism,'particulari'y useful in operating the gates of elevators. Qur object is tenimprove upon and simplify the constructions heretofore known. It isadaptahle for use in any 'type of elevator and therefore the particular means for operating the elevator whether it be oi thevmanually controlled or the push-button type is immaterial. For the purpose# of illustration, we thereforev have omitted the particular lelevator operating orl controlling mechanism which it is believed would not add to the clearness of disclosure 26 or"v the present invention but would only serve unnecessarily to' complicate the `drawings. The particular construction of ygates fi to be operated is also immaterial. In the present mstance, merely as illustrative of 3o one embodiment ofthe invention, we have' shown in the drawings gates which areunitary or in one piece as to each hatchway o ening.-l Suchv particular type of gates o viously is unnecessary to the embodiment of our invention. i

In the drawings, Fig. lrepresents more or less diagrammaticall a hatchway in which travels a car (not shown) attached toy the hoisting cable 2 passing around a hoisting 40 drum 3. Three floors are shown with an opening in each floor closed, respectively, by`

the gates 102, 103 and 104. The gate l103 is shown in its open position; f

Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view of the gate 104 and its associated mechanisms, representing the gate in its closed position; y l Fig-3 is a slmilar View of the opened gate 08; f Fi 4 is a diagrammaticgviewof the electrica connections;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the knock out cams and associated switches Acar. Ateachgate is a shown in F ig. 4 `but represented substan-4 ially the positionthey take when a gate is fully opened; f i

Fig. 0 is a detail; f V Fig. 7 is a simplified diagram of a portion of the electricv circuits in the position when the gate is at rest in its fully opened position,

Fig. 8 is another electrical diagram; and

Fig. 9,is a detail of'thelclutch'and' gateoperating druni of yone or" the gates.

.NEW JERSEY, A CDEPOEATION-UF NEW- In the above preferred embodiment of our I y invention, the gates 102,103 and 104 close 4the openings at their respective iandings. y'lfhese gates may, if desired, be of the ofisetv type which, when they 'start too en',

are swung into the hatchway so as to'c ear 1 the sill Vand gate of the door' above in their upwardtravel. Referring to Fig. 2, it `will' be seen. that the gate 104 rests on the sill 104% It' may be locked in this position by" the latch 143 connected to a lever 144 which may be .struck by a cam not shownjon the rum 109 (see Fig.

,9). Around this drum are wound twocables 11.0 and 111',y each of which is connected to the gate, as shown forv exampleat 110 and 111.' in Fig. 1. 112 is another cable Wound around the drum and attached to the' 'counter-weight 113. 115 (Figs. 2 and 3) is a slide operating in a guideway'and connected tothe gate by links 117 land 118. 0b-

viously when the drum 109 is rotated, the

gate will irstbe swung, like one sideof a parallel ruler, inward from its'positioii indi l cated in litigi` 2 to the offset position` indi-t cated in Fig. 3, where, block 140 contacts with block 141 carried by the slide, and then will travel upward in a position to clear the sill and gate of lthe floor above: v`This con# struction, of course, is merel illustrative of one type of gate which may e employed.

The drum 109 is fixed to its shaft. Loose on this shaft is a 'frictiqrr clutchdisk 120 having gear teeth engaging with.v a, driv-L ing chain y 07.` The clutch portion 121 is rotatable i th but slidable long'itudinallyfon the drum. shaft. When this is thrown to the left in Fig. 9, it clutches the di'um shaft-,to

the friction disk 120 and sotran'smits ovverel from the'chain to the drum. Obvious y the friction disk is adapted to slip if the door vis overdriven.4v 122 is an operating Idevice for the clutch, which may be a magnet with suitable leverl connections.

The drivingvchain 107 is endless and passes over a pulley 106 in the pent house and a suitably weighted pulley 1.07 at the bottom of the hatehway. Power is supplied to the drivinipulley 106 by a gate-operating motor 105 w ch, with its driving chain 107, is common to all of the gates and their clutches.

For controlling the travel ofthe gates we perefer tovprovide a construction which shall operated by the movement of the gates themselves as distinguished v:trom being op-l erated directly by the motor which operates the gates. We find this is preferable because, forone reason, it insures that the ates shall be fully opened and fully closed efore the motor ceases to act. In the present embodiment of our invention we have provided for Vthis purpose any endless cable 125 passing over a pulley 124 which is connected by a Suitable belt 130 to rotate a'shaft 132 on i ya which are located the knock outs or movement-limiting cams 133 to 139 inclusive (see Figs. 4 and 5).

The cable 125 has fastened to it at each floor 'a wei hted ball 128. Each gate has projecting rom it (see Fig. 2) a hooked portion 127 loosely embracing the cable 125. When all the gates are shut, each one of the lingers 127 has resting on it and supported by it one of the weighted balls 128. As a gate, such for example as 103, travels up, its hook 127 carries upward the ball 128 and therefore the cable 125, so rotating the pulley 124 and consequently the knock out shaft 132. As the gate descends, the combined weights of the balls 128 cause the cable 125 to move in the opposite directionand follow the gate downward to its closed position, being suiiicient in the aggregate to overcome the friction of the shafts rotated by the cable 125.

. -A selector, generically indicated by 145 and hereafter tc bel more specifically vdescribed, is operated correspondingly to the `movement of the car, preferablyby bein vator. .T his selector,

spring-pressed brake 148 release net 149 is energized. Th inets 12.2, 220 and 223 are connected as indicated in Fig. 1 to' the win ing drum or other moving portion of the eleshown diagrammatically' at the right of Fig. 7, may comprise stationary blocks and a moving ybrush 146, which travels back and'forth over them as the car moves. The hoisting motor for rotating the hoisting drum 3, to which the car is attached, is'not specifically shown in this figure. j Referring to Fig. motor 105 is shown 4, the gate-operating at the ri ht with a dgwhen magree gate cl i 'Tagshown, one for each gate. `At the uppery left-hand corner of the diagram are represented buttons,.in the presi solenoid 153 and cause it ent case electric switches, which can open, close and stop the doors. Those represented by 205, 181 and 195 are located in the car and serve, respectively, to stop, open and close a ate. 210, 213 and 216 indicate the similarl uttons located outside the hatchway on the first floor; the second and third lioors arc provided with similar outside buttons.

Preferably, the operation of the gates is accomplished by electrical mechanism and such has beenshown. We also prefer to have only one mam magnet for controlling thecpenlng movement and another one for controlling the closing movement, these being common to all the gates. Such magnets have been shown Fig. 4 bv 153 and 154. A selector commutator is s own consisting of a `stationary feed strip 147v and stationary contact blocks 230, 231, etc., together with a moving brush 146 for making the proper (onnections. 156 is a solenoid magnet for making connections hereafter to be described.

Fig. 8 represents a diagrammatic view of a portion of the electrical circuits more particularly with relation to the openingvmovement of the gate. The position shown is that in which the parts are when the car has reached the third'ioor and the power has been shut oft'. The moving brush 146 is then on the contact blocks 200, 219 and 164 corresponding to the third floor. A circuit may then be traced from the lead III through the stop switch 205, switch 38, knock out switches 162 and 163 to Contact block 164 and by brush 146 and out.

to move its core upward.. This will close the switches 166 and 169 at thel top and the switches 190 and 191 at the bottom. When switch 169 closes, it completes a circuit from the lead III to the point 175 to the point 170, switch arm 270 and by Way of resistance 171 to the gate motor 105. The motor therefore begins to rotate and drives the chain 107 rotating also thefriction gears 120. The does not move until the clutch is thrown in. The clutch is energized by the selector having selected the proper magnetsuch as the third floor magnet. 122. This is energized from the lead III by way of point 192 and switch 191, through magnet 122 to block 200 .and out.l This clutches the hoisting drum I109 Qt that gate to the driving the cable 125 and starting the shaft 132 and the knock outs to rotating in the direct-ionv of the arrow .1.24111 Fig. rise, the knock switch 161,' solenoid magnet 153,-

This will energize gate, however,

v chain 107, '120 and the gate begins to rise, carrying with it f nemesi.

cintched continuously to the motor untii'it l tied construction for greater clearness and simplicity. In Fig. 8, when switch 1651 closes, the resistance 171 is in circuit with .sistnnce 171.

the motor l105. After the gute is oiiset, knock out 139 leaves its switch arno 1'22, which then closes, and energizes solenoid 150 drawing up its core and cutting out the rerlfhe motor therefore continues to rotate iusterand moves the gate more swiftly until it approaches its upward limit ot movement when knock out 138 strikes lever 172 as indicated at the right of Fig. 5, reopening the circuit of solenoid 1.50 sud-reinserting;r the resistance 1!1, thus slowing down `the gate. As the frate reaches its. upward limitof movement, the 6knock out 13'? reaches the position indicated in Fig'. 5, opens the circuit of magnet 153, and the core of that ,magnet drops, reopening the motor circuit and stopping the motor. i As ahove described, the clutch 122 still remains energized, keeping the vgrote still clutched to the motor. t

The motor 105 (see Fig. 1) is norineliy held from rotation' by its brake 148. "it is desirable that this brake shall be released as soon as, or rather un instant prior to the time, the gate starts to open. This may he controlled in a variety of woysfrom the elevator. In the present embodiment we have illustrated u switch 38 which. is held open so long as the car is not slowed down but which, when the cor slows down to stop, automatically closes. We have illustrated st 11 one embodiment of such a switch, such es a centrifugally operated construction which will close the switch as the oar slows down to stop. 1n Fig. 8 we show another form for accomplishing thisresult, in which A is the hoisting motor for the cerLB a starting' resistance and D a moving; switch for controlling the car, und s magnet 11 for normally holding open the switch 38, hut which allows the switch to close when the car has, heen slowed down, by cutting ofi the power. When switch 38 is closed a circuit is completed through the point 196, hrulce magnet '149 and switch 168. This will immediately draw up the core of solenoid 149 und release the brake. As the knock out 136 releases this switch arm 168 immediately :is soon as the gute-starts to rise, a oy-pass circuit must he provided. Th's may he traced from the magnet 1119 t the switch 190 to the point 180, 165, switch 162, 163 ond out. The circuit through switch 162, 163 is` immediately broken, as will, he llater clescrihed, and this would o en the brake cir cuit but a hywpsss is provic ed from the point 165 to switch 166 and out. Thus the lornke is normally removed frcmthe motor ]ust prior 'to the time its circuit is closed and remains oii until solenoid 153 is deenergized.,

As the gute remains clutched to the driving chain 107 until the door again reaches its closed position, thev gate is restrained from downward movement in its fully opened position hy the hrskc of the motor.

1f the gate were now closed, it would 1mmedistely reopen as soon as it again reached its closed position. in order to prevent such undesired movement, we have provided nieans for breaking the circuit at the switch points 162 und 163. This is provided by.

the solenoid 156. Whenthe solenoid 153 is energizefhswitch 169 closes anda circuit may then he traced hy the wire 176, tothe lolock 177, through the solenoid 156 and out. This energizs the latter solenoid and raises its core, breaking the circuit hetween blocks 162 and 163. A maintaining circuit is provided hy way of resistance 230, block 178 on the solenoid core, and out throu h the solenoid 156. lit will he oloserve that this circuit then remains closed, with switch 162, 163 open, preferably until' the brush 146 moves oli from the block 164'. It cannot do so until the ear 'has moved away from the door. Consequently the gate cannot loe automatically opened again aftehhoving been reclosed until the car has left the i door.

1t mcy he desirable that the gate be opened manually instead of automatically, and in .any case it is desirable that the car operator be able to open thefg'ate.` In Such case an open button 181 is rovided in the car. By closing this,V the open solenoid 153 muy be energized and the gate consequently, opened, the same operations then taking place as above described. In the-car is also a stopbutton 205. Openin this switch deenergizes magnet 153 andthe rake magnet 149 stopping the gate and holding it 4, hy the motor brake.- Reclosing this switch' does not start the gate in either direction nor does it remove the brake from the motor. ,it doesnot Vstart the motor because thc switch 169 is then opened and it does not remove the motor brake because switches 168 und 190 are then opened. In other Words, roclosing the stop switch 205 does not start the gate again. The gate, however, can be started upward by closing the onen butto 181 in the car or the similar pen button-215 (see Fig. 4) for example, outside the hetchwuy on that Hoor.

The gate may he closed 'by closing; the

outside' the shaft. ,The

vizo

-lcnoid 154-. point 198, close button 195 (orf cam 135 has then, of course,.released its lswitch arm '197. Operatin theicloae button will consequently o ose the' circuit through' the close magnet 154. This operation is more clearly illustrated in Fig. 7. In that figure, the'parts v are representedas in substantially theposition they are when the gate fully opened but omitting some of the circuits shown in the other figures. Depressing the close button 195 in the car, or the similar close button 218 outside ythe hatchway at that Hoor, energizes the Close solenoid ITA through the switch 197, sci- 218), block 164 (or Q19 for the floor button) of the selector and out. T his energizes the solenoid and draws up its core, closing its switches :201, 278 and 190. The latter` switch energizes the motor brake solenoid 149 and'lifts the brake. rlhe maintaining circuit for the" solenoid 151 is then closed by way of switch 201vand out to block'164, keeping also the solenoid '149 energized. This switch Q01 also forms a by-pass or n'iaintaining circuit for the solenoid 1511 after the operator ta (eshis `finger olf the close button. versing circuit of the gate motoriwhich then rotates `in the opposite directlon and is varied in speed as above described, driving the gate in the closing direction. This con tinues until the gate is normally closed when' the knock out 139 (Figs. 4 and 8) reopcns its switch 172, reinserting the resistance 171 and slowing down the motor. As the gate lowers, its slide 115 (Figs. 2 and 3) strikes the stop 142 and the gate then offsets hack to the closed and locked position. At this instant the knock out. 135 reopens the switch 197, deeuergizing solenoid 154 und stopping the motor. The knock out 136 has then closed its switch 168 keeping the brake thereafter lifted until the car starts and opens switch 3 8.`

The parts are then in their original position shown in Figs. 1 and 8 except that solenoid 156 is still energized through its maintaining circuit by Way of resistance 230 and wire`2l7, thus keeping open the switch at blocks 162, 163. 1f it were not for this, above explained, the gate when closed would immediately rise again and the gate never could be 'kept shut or would smash the lock 143 or' some of thev operating parts. T he solenoid 156 and its connections is there fore one formy of a mechanism for preventing the gate opening mechanism from automatically reopening the 'gate after it has heenolosed. In the present embodiment, so-

lenoid 156 remains energized untilthe ear has'moved away from the floor, that is, until the brush 146 passes oliE from the third door contacts. lVhen this occurs, the maintaining circuit through the solenoid 156 isI breiten and it drops to the position shown in .closing directions.

Switch 278 closes the rev- Figs. 4 and 8, leaving the parts ready for a new operation, the switch 38 of course opening when'the car starts and remaining open until the car again slows down. If it slows down between floors, nothing happens be cause the selector brush is not on any of the ioor contact blocks.

1t will be observed that while the door is opening or while it is closing, either the operator in thv car or a person on any floor may stop the gate by pressing any one of the stop buttons. The gate thereafter cannot lie started in either direction by anyone except an operator in the car or a person or. the floor where that gate is. Only the open" or close" buttons outside the shaft on that floor, or in the car which is also at. that floor, can start the gate hut by them it can he restarted in either of the o ening or T he gates themselves control their speed and stopping. hey are controlled in part through selector .145 hv outs by the gates themselves. Selector 145 also controls the door clutches and the fopen" and close buttons hut does not con'iplete the circuits until the switch 38 is `closed duc to thc slowing down ofthe car. 'lhe gates are in the present embodiment au tomatically opened and held open by the motor clutch and the motor brake whenever the gate is stopped in any even partially opened position. The gate clutch of the operated gate remains energized until the gate again reaches its closed position. The selector selects the individual gate clutches and therefore the gates, the sets of open and close buttons outside the shaft, the time when the open and close buttons in thc cars can operate the gates, and the time when the gates can control themselves ln order to nxake the diagram more clear, we have shown the open and close buttons as independently operable. They, however. may be arranged so that an open button cannot beoperated vwhen a close hutton has been operated. This may be accomplished in a variety of ways but it is not thoughtnecessary lo illustrate this. In Fig. 6, however, we have shown such an arrangement diagramniatically for the 0pen" ,and close buttons in the car.

tion may he carried out in a variety of em* bodiments and therefore do not limit ourselves in lie constructions heretofore illustrated angl described.

that we claim is:

1. ln combination, a haichway and three or more gates along the same, a car, gato operating .mechanism common to allvthe a selector operated eorrespei'idingly with the movement of the car and adapted amasar to cause each gate to be opened automati-V. cally as the car reaches its loor, and means. rendering the gate-opening mechanism operative only when the car has slowed/down tattili at a floor.'

. or more gates along thesanie, a car, gateo}f ei"atin.g` mechanism, -,a selector operated correspondingly withI the vmovement of 'the car and adapted tocauseeach gate to be opened automatically las .the car I'reachesits floor, means rendering-the gate-opening 'nect the gates independently thereto con` trolled by a selector operated'correspondingly with the car and arranged to` connect inxsaidqgates in succession, and mechanism rendering 'said' selector inoperative unless the car stops at a door.

4;.'In combination, a hatchway and car, three or more gates along said hatchway, electrically operated gate-opening mechan ism common to; all the gates, means to connect the gates independently thereto con trolled by a selector operated correspondingly with the car and arranged to connect in said gates automatically and in succession, 'and mechanism rendering said selector inoperative unless the vcar stops at a Hoor.

5. In combination, .a hatchway and car,

three or more gates along .the hatc'hw'ay,`

electrically operated gate-opening mechanism common to all the gates, means to connect the gates independently thereto, including open and-close buttons in the car, controlled by a selector operated corren spondingly `With theI car andl arranged to connect in said gates in succession, and mechanism rendering said buttons inoperative unless the car stops at a floor.

i 6. In combination, a hatchway, three or more gates along thekvsame, gate-opening mechanism including a motor common to lall the gates and mechanism to connect in the gates independently and in succession, and means operated by'` thefmovement oi each gate independentlyy and arranged to. continue the operation'of the motor until thegate isy fully open and then stop the same.

7. In combination, a hatchway, three or moregates along the same, gate-openingmechanism' including a motor 4 common to allv .gates and mechanism, including a fric tionv clutchfor each gate, to connect in thev gates independently and in. succession, means operated by the movement of eachl gate indecombi'nation, a ha'tchway` and three slipping, until the gate is fully open, and

then stop the same. l

8. In combination, a hatchway and car, a gate, gate-operating mechanism and means including a selector operated correspondingly 'with the -car and arranged to cause the gate to o en automatically when the car reaches a oor, gate-closing mechanism, and means automatically preventing the gateopening mechanism from then automatically re-openin the gate. 'i

9. In com ination., a hatchway and cai', a gate, electrically operated ate-operating mechanism and means inclu ing a selector operatedcorrespondingly with the car arranged to cause the gate to open'automati- Ically when the car reaches a floor, manually controlled electrically operated gate closing mechanism, and means automatically preventing lthe gate-opening mechanism from then automatically rfc-opening the gate so long as the selector remains in its gate-selected position.

11. Incombination, a hatchway, three or more gates along the same, a car, mechanism 'common to all gates and controlled independently by the movement of .any one and arranged to cause that gate to open fully and close fully after such movements have been initiated, and a selector operated cor respondingly with the car and arranged to connect. said gates successively to said common operating mechanism.'

12.-'In combination, a hatchway, three or more gates along the same, mechanism to open and shut the gates, buttons in the car and at each floor outside the shaft arranged to cause saidpmechanism to operate as` desired. and a selector operated corresponding ly with the car and arranged to connect 1n the car buttons when the car reaches.` any floor, but only that set of door buttons cor- .responding to the cars position.

13., In combination, ahatchway and.agate` rat each ofthree or more tioors, a car. means,

v:including in part gate motor.mechanisxii common toy all. the gates and a gate -selector,` operated correspondingly with the cantare. ranged automatically to open any gate'jbat;

onlythe one at which the car stops.-

14. In combination, a hatchway and at cach of three or more'oors, a car, means including in part a gate. selector operated' one at which the car stops, means to shut the gate, and automatic means rendering the correspondingly with the car, arranged au-l tomaticall to'open any gate but only the one at which the' car stops and common to all gates, a source of power and mechanism controlled by each gate independently and arranged to slow down and then` stop that4 gate at-the desired limit of travel.

15. In combination, a hatchway .and a. 'gate at each of three or more floors1 la car,'means, including in part a gate seletwr operated corresponding tomatieally to open any gate but only the gate opening mechanism inoperative to open the gate automatically when the gate closes.

16. In combination, a hatchway and a gate, a motor for operatin the gate, means for varying the motor speeld, and mechanism operated by the movement of the gate and arranged to cause the motor to drive the gate more slowly at each end of its travel and to stop the same.

17. In combination, a pluralityl of gates along a hatehway, a common source of power for moving the same, means arranged to select and connect to said source of power only the gate corresponding to the cars position, 'and means common to all said gates and operated by the gate selected and controlling the movement thereof.`

18. Incombination, a plurality of gates.

-along a hatchway, a common 'source of power for moving the same, means arranged to select and connect to said source ot' power only the'gate corresponding to the cars position, and means to stop and reverse said source of power intermediate of its travel and without disconnecting said gate.

19. A plurality of gates along a hatchway, a common source of power for movingthe same, magnetic clutching means arranged to select and connect to said source of power only the gate corresponding to the cars position, and means to stop ,and reverse said source of power intermediate of its travel and Without disconnecting said gate.

20. A. plurality of gates along a hatchway and acommon source of power for moving the same, means common to all the gates and operable by each independently and a1'- ran @d to control the movement thereof, and

a selector operated correspondingly with the car and arranged to connect 1n any gate corresponding to the floor where the car stops.

21. In combination, a plurality of gates i along a hatchway and means for operating the same independently, manual means for initiating the movement of said gates, means for automatically continuing the movement of the gate' after said manual means has been released, and a selector -operating correspondingly to the car and arraged to render said :manual means opery with nthe car,.arranged au.

able only on a gate corresponding with tin' positioitptr the I'cal'. y p

22. .Ihombinatioma plurality of' gates along a hatchway and meansfor operating the same independently, manual means with in the car for initiating` the "opening antiy 'l i closing movements of said gates, means fe.;

.;-au.o..latically continuing the movement ci" the gate after said manual means has been released, andaselector operating correspond ingly to the ear andfarranged to render saidmanual means operable only-on a gate cor` responding with the position of the ear.

23. In combination, a pluralityA of gates.

along a hatchway and means for-operating4 the same independently, at each floor manual means each operable at any time to stop the gate at substantially any point in its movej ment, manually operated means operable then to start the gate in eitherv direction, and mechanism rendering the latter means operable only at the floor where the car then is.

and means for operating the same indepen 24. A plurality of gates along a hatchwa JS w ently, means for stopping a gate at subistantially any point in its movement, and manual means operable to cause the gateoperating means then to move the gate in either direction desired.

25. In combination, a plurality of gates along a hatchway, electrical means for operating said gates independently, manually controlled means for starting a gate, an e'lectric switch and means cgierated thereby'for /breaking the circult `an stopping the gate at substantially any point in its travel, and

means rendering the re-closing of said` switch incapable of causing the gate then to start'until said manual starting means is operated.

26,. In combination, a plurality of gates along a Vhatcliway and means for operating the same independently, manual means within the car and also at each floor and suitable mechanism controlled thereby arran ed to open and close any gate but only t e one where the car then 1s, manual means on each floor and suitable mechanism controlled thereby arranged to open and close -onlv that gate when the car is at that floor.

27. In combination, a plurality of'gates along a hatchway, means for operating the same inde endently, a car, manual means in the car anld mechanism operable thereby and arranged tostop any gate at substantially any7 point in its closing movement, and manua ly controlled means then to move the gate in either direction.

28. In combination, a hatchway and three or more gates along the same', a car, a gateoperating motor common to all gates, an open magnet and a close magnet common to all the gates and controlling in part their opening and closing movements, means 'have 4 operated by the movement oi' each gate independently and arranged'lo control the movement of the gates, a selector arranged to connectin said gates in succession correspondingly 'with the movement of the car, mechanism arranged to 'airitomatically canse said selector to be operative only when the car has slowed down to stop at a iloor, openl ,irate independently and arranged to control the movement ot the gates,` a selector ar ranged to connect in said gates in succes'- sion correspondingly with the movement of the car, mechanism arranged to automatically cause said selector to be operated only when the car has slowed downto stopat a floor, open and close buttons in the car and mechanism operated thereby by which the operator in the ear may initiate an open.- ing or closing movement roft the gates but only of the gate where the car is, open and` close buttons at each floor for similarly opening and closing; only the gate selected by said selector, and gate stopping?,- buttons at ea h floor and in the car, said open and close buttons being arranged to start a gate in either direction desired after having been stopped short o its limit of movement.A

30. Tn combination. 'a shaft and a plurality of gates along the same, a car; and,

common to all said gates, a source of power,

a magnet and connections arranged to canse any gate to open, and means controlled by te movement of each gate and controlling it opening movement, a selector operated correspondingly with the movement of the car and mechanism controlled thereby arranged automatically to connect the gates in succession to said source of power, means rendering,Y said selector effectively operative only when the Car stops at a floor, means for closing the gate, and mechanism prevent ing the immediate automatic opening ofthe gate.

3l. In combination, a hatchway, three or more gates along.r the same, a car, gat/coperor closating mechanism, and electrical mechanism operating' la. cause each gate to be openen antfnnatically as the car reaches its licor,

till) and means rendering the gate opening mecl1 thrown into operation automatically when E the car has been slowed down to stop at a ioor, selectingr mechanism arranged antomatically to limit such operation to the gate Where the car then is, a close device operable by the operator while the car is at res; at the floor and arranged to canse' the operation of mechanism for closing the grate and holding the same closed after said close device is released.

34. l'n con'il'iination7 a car, a gate ateach. of several floors, gate-opening mechmsml thrown into operation automatically when the ear has been slowed down to stop at a floor, selecting' mechanism arranged antomatically to limit such operation to the gate where the car then is, a close device operable by the operator while the car is at rest at the floor and arranged to'cause the opera# tion of mechanism for closing the vate and holding the same closedafter said c ose de lvice is released, together with' an operators einen device arranged so that he may then canse the gate-opening mechanism to operate while the carcontinues at rest at the licor. 35. ln combination, a. car, a gate at each of several floors, gate-opening mechanism thrown into operation automatically only after thel car has been slowed down at a door, i and controlling means arranged to prevent said gate-opening mechanism,from being again thrown into operation auton matically Whilethe car remains at restat the floor, together with a device whereby the operator may cause the gate opening mech- :mism thento operate while the car remains at rest at the door.'

y Dated this 11th day of April2 l1921.

CLFFORD NORTON.

NEVILLE S. DICKNSON. RUMSEY W. SCO'IT.` 

